Ellicottville Resorts Gearing Up for Warmer Weather
Ellicottville Resorts Gearing Up for Warmer Weather
As the Snow Melts, Visitors Can Look Forward to Spring Activities at Both Holiday Valley and HoliMont
Photo / Holiday Valley Resort & HoliMont Resort
As the days grow longer and the temperatures increase, you may have noticed that you’re not quite feeling “yourself.” Your appetite has decreased, you feel restless, and you have more energy than you’ve felt in months. No, it’s not your imagination - it’s spring fever! While spring fever is not an actual illness or diagnostic category, spring’s impact on human beings’ mood and behavior has been studied by scientists for many years. The good news is that Ellicottville’s beautiful resorts have just the cure for spring fever, and your body and your mind will thank you!
HOLIDAY VALLEY
For Dash Hegeman, director of marketing at Holiday Valley, it’s hard to say which warm-weather activities are visitors’ favorites because there’s such a variety. “In the summer we have such a wide range of fun things to do here at the resort,” he said. “Guests can lounge poolside and soak up the sun, go hiking in the rolling hills of Ellicottville, mountain bike, play golf at the Double Black Diamond or swing through the trees of Sky High.”
If golf tops your list of favorite things to do once the snow melts, you won’t have to wait long. The front nine of the Double Black Diamond Golf Course are scheduled to open on April 8th, while the back nine open a bit later,, as the snow takes longer to melt at the higher elevations.
Hegeman noted that the mountain bike trails also open once the snow melts and the trails dry out. The lift service for mountain biking is available on weekends and begins near the end of June, typically. For him, mountain biking is the best part of the warm-weather season. “I really enjoy the mountain biking aspect of what Ellicottville has to offer,” he explained. “There’s a wide variety of trails that are pretty easily accessible. It’s a great workout and a very fun way to spend time outside.”
A feature that sets Holiday Valley apart is its Sky High Aerial Adventure Park, the largest in New York State and the third largest in the U.S. Thirteen courses with varying levels of difficulty span the five-acre section of woods. Hegeman noted that the park typically opens near the beginning of May, and an exact opening date will be announced on www.holidayvalley.com. Visitors can also enjoy Holiday Valley’s Climbing Forest, Sky Flyer Mountain Coaster, and Mister Happy Gem Mining.
For those who really want to soak up some sun and cool off, Holiday Valley’s public day pool complex is the place to be. The complex consists of three pools (toddler pool, lap pool, and an activity pool with a slide and diving board) and is open on weekends from May 25th through June 16th and daily from June 17th until September 2nd.
Hegeman is looking forward to new and returning events this year. “The Eclipse Totality Bash at Holiday Valley is a new and unique event that won’t happen again for quite some time,” he said. “On April 8th, come on out to view this astronomical event in an awesome setting from atop Holiday Valley. We’ve got a great lodging package put together for it, as well as day-of tickets to the party we are hosting. It’s going to be an amazing day!”
A returning favorite is the Holiday Valley Mudslide on June 15th. According to Hegeman, “[It’s] the most fun you’ll have in mud all year. There’s a 4.25-mile course, a 5.4-mile course and even a kids race for 4 to 11-year-olds. It’s definitely an event that you won’t want to miss out on.” To learn more, visit www.holidayvalley.com and check out the Events page.
HOLIMONT
Jennah Bradley, marketing director at HoliMont, is ready to welcome visitors to experience a new season at the largest private ski club in the U.S.! There is plenty to do when the snow melts. Bradley noted that the most popular activities in the warm-weather months include HoliMont’s bike park with bike lift access, hiking trails, disc golf, the beach at Saddle Pond, kayaking, paddleboarding and camping. She said, “HoliMont provides an ideal retreat for outdoor sports lovers of all ages. From a variety of activities to keep you engaged, we have a serene and exclusive setting in the hills, to being just steps away from a vibrant village filled with restaurants, shops, and nightlife; there's never a dull moment at HoliMont.”
HoliMont’s projected opening day of the bike park is May 25th. The park consists of 16 mountain bike trails that comprise over 10 miles of track. Choose from seven cross country and nine downhill trails with technical terrain and freeride terrain for beginners all the way up to experts. If hiking is your favorite warm-weather activity, HoliMont has direct access to over 35 miles of WNYMBA Epic Trail System in McCarty Hill and Little Rock City State Forest. The bike park, as well as disc golf, paddleboarding, kayaking, and camping are all open to the public all summer long for anyone to enjoy!
Bradley is looking forward to the return of annual events including the Downhill Bike Race Series, which takes place July 7th, August 4th and September 1st. She is also anticipating the EVL Trail Fest scheduled for August 9-11th and the Roots, Rocks and Ridges event that HoliMont cohosts with WNYMBA (Western New York Mountain Bike Association) on September 28th.
As for Bradley’s favorite part of the warm weather season at HoliMont? “I enjoy seeing everyone gather to soak up the beautiful weather,” she said. “Whether it's staff or guests, there's always someone grilling and chilling at the bike park. It's a blast coming together to have a great time!” For more information about HoliMont’s summer offerings and events, visit www.holimont.com.